Ted Gillen

Infobox Football biography
playername= Ted Gillen
fullname = Ted Gillen


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1968|8|16
cityofbirth = Kearny, New Jersey
countryofbirth = United States
height = height|ft=5|in=10
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Defender
youthyears = 1986-1989
youthclubs = Penn State
years = 1990-1991
1991
1991-1992
1993
1996
1997-1999
clubs = Penn-Jersey Spirit
Albany Capitals
San Diego Sockers "(indoor)"
Richmond Kickers
MetroStars
New Jersey Stallions
caps(goals) =
01 (0)
15 (0)
nationalyears = 1988
nationalteam = United States
nationalcaps(goals) = 03 (0)
manageryears = 1990, 1993-1996
2002-
managerclubs = Penn State "(assistant)"
University of Maryland
Syracuse University
Toms River High School North
Toms River High School East
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Ted Gillen (born August 16, 1968 in Kearny, New Jersey) is a former U.S. soccer defender who currently coaches men’s high school soccer. Gillen played one season in Major Soccer League, two in the American Professional Soccer League, one in USISL and one in Major League Soccer. He earned three caps with the U.S. national team in 1988. He has also served as an assistant soccer coach at several universities.

Youth and college

Gillen was born in Kearny, New Jersey and grew up in Toms River, New Jersey. [Kurland, Bob. "METROSTARS MINUS TWO -- DONADONI, RAMOS TO MISS OPENER", "The Record (Bergen County)", April 12, 1996. "Kearny native Ted Gillen, who grew up in Toms River, was placed on injured reserve due to a slow-healing hamstring."] Gillen began playing soccer when he was four years old. At the time, his older brother was playing and after watching him play, Gillen insisted on also playing. He attended Toms River High School East winning the 1985 New Jersey Group IV High School soccer championship. [Christopher, Chris. [http://www.jerseyshoreboca.com/main.php?zone=article&article=38 "Ted Gillen - Back Where He Belongs"] , copy of article from "Ocean County Observer", October 30, 2002. "Gillen has been around. He starred at Toms River East, helping the Raiders win the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association 1985 Group IV state title."] Gillen then attended Pennsylvania State University where he played as a left back on the men’s soccer team from 1986 to 1989. Gillen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business. In July 1990, the Cleveland Crunch of Major Soccer League selected Gillen with the tenth pick of that year’s draft. However, he decided against signing with the Crunch and instead became an assistant coach with Penn State before attending James Madison University. He gradated from JMU with an MBA. [ [http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/1996_jan-dec/02/02-14-96tdc/02-14-96d03-002.htm Gillen heading to pro soccer league ] ]

Professional

In 1990, Gillen signed with the Penn-Jersey Spirit of the American Professional Soccer League. [ [http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1990/statsasl90.htm ASL 1990 Season ] ] He returned to the Spirit for the 1991 season, but also played one game, for a total of 34 minutes, with the Albany Capitals. [ [http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1991/stats91.htm APSL 1991 Season ] ] He then signed with the San Diego Sockers for the 1991-1992 Major Soccer League season. In 1993, he played for the Richmond Kickers of USISL. [ [http://www.richmondkickers.com/About/History/index_E.html RichmondKickers.com ] ] That fall, he returned to Penn State to become an assistant coach. On February 6, 1996, Gillen returned to professional soccer when the MetroStars of Major League Soccer selected Gillen in the sixth round (59th overall) of the Inaugural MLS Draft. He played fifteen regular season games before leaving the MetroStars at the end of the season. In 1997, Gillen signed with the third division New Jersey Stallions of the USISL. He played with the team through the 1999 season.

National team

Gillen earned three caps with the U.S. national team in June 1988. His first game came in a June 5, 1988 3-0 loss to Chile. His last was a 1-0 win over Costa Rica on June 14, 1988. [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesu/usa-intres-det80.html USA - Details of International Matches 1980-1989 ] ]

Non soccer career

In 1996, Gillen became an annuity specialist at Merrill Lynch before becoming a high school soccer coach in 2002.

Coaching

Following his graduation from Penn State, Gillen remained at the school as an assistant coach for the 1990 collegiate season. He was a volunteer assistant coach with James Madison while he was working on his master’s degree. He returned to as an assistant coach in August 1993 and held that position until he signed with the MetroStars in 1996. [ [http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/1996_jan-dec/1996_aug/1996-08-27_the_daily_collegian/1996-08-27d03-007.htm Sports Briefs ] ] He was also an assistant at Maryland University and Syracuse University. In 2002, Gillen became the girls’ head coach at Toms River High School North in New Jersey. He later returned to coach the boy’s team at his alma mater Toms River High School East.

References

External links

* [http://www.metrofanatic.com/team/player.jsp?ID=22 MetroStars profile]
* [http://www.jerseyshoreboca.com/main.php?zone=article&article=38 High School coaching profile]